Slovak Studies Association (SSA)

The Slovak Studies Association (SSA) was founded in 1977 in Washington, D.C. during the National Conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies (AAASS). Attending this first meeting were Thaddeus Gromeda, Richard Liba, Thomas Marzik, Jozef and Renee Mikuš, Mark Stolárik, Anthony X. Sutherland and Edward Tuleya. The purpose of this first meeting was to discuss a tentative constitution, enabling the secretary-treasurer, Mark Stolárik, to write its first draft, and to elaborate the procedures for the election of SSA’s officers. Procedures pertaining to the election of SSA officers were also elaborated during this reunion.

The SSA promotes interdisciplinary research, publications and teaching relating to worldwide Slovak experience. This scholarly organization assists scholars interested in Slovak studies, sponsors panels on Slovak history and themes (i.e. “14 March and the Slovak State“ and “Slovak Literature as a Mirror of National Awakening“), and issues a bi-annual newsletter. In addition, the SSA “conducts all of its activities in accordance with academic freedom and completely devoid of partiality to any philosophical, political, or religious orientation“. The SSA is affiliated to the Association for Slovak, East European and Eurasian Studies (ASEES) (formerly the Association for Advancement of Slovak Studies). In 1983, the SSA was incorporated to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a non-profit scholarly organization.